Method and system for digital account management

Abstract

A method, computer program product, and system are disclosed. The method, when implemented in a computer system, includes determining a change deposit amount, determining account information (the account information identifying an account), and initiating a deposit operation, where the deposit operation includes performing an electronic deposit of the change deposit amount to the account. The determining is performed by a digital change application that is installed in a mobile device. The digital change application is configured to initiate the electronic deposit of the change deposit amount to the account.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, implemented in a computer system, comprising:
 determining a change deposit amount, wherein
 the change deposit amount is a result of a transaction, 
 the determining is performed by a digital change application executed by a processor of a vending machine, and 
 the digital change application is in communication with a point-of-sale device of the vending machine and is configured to facilitate initiation of an electronic transfer operation; 
 
 performing an authorization operation, wherein
 the authorization operation comprises
 sending a request for authorization from the digital change application to a digital change server, wherein
 the request for authorization comprises a digital change identifier that identifies a customer account, and 
 
 receiving an authorization message; 
 
 
 determining whether the authorization message indicates that the transaction is authorized, wherein
 the authorization message indicates that the transaction is authorized if the authorization message comprises a digital change token; and 
 
 in response to a determination that the authorization message indicates that the transaction is authorized,
 initiating an electronic transfer operation, wherein
 the vending machine is operated by a merchant that maintains funds in a merchant account at a financial institution, 
 the merchant account is identified by merchant account information, and 
 the electronic transfer operation comprises
 facilitating performance of an electronic transfer of funds in an amount of the change deposit amount from the merchant account to the customer account by communicating the merchant account information and the digital change token to the financial institution. 
 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving the digital change token at the point-of-sale device, wherein
 the point-of-sale device generates the determination that the authorization message indicates that the transaction is authorized. 
 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 performing an authentication operation, wherein
 the digital change identifier is further configured to facilitate the authentication operation by virtue of the digital change identifier comprising a consumer identifier, and 
 the consumer identifier identifies a customer associated with the customer account. 
 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the transaction comprises:
 receiving an amount of physical currency at a cash input device of the vending machine. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein
 the digital change application is configured to facilitate initiation of the electronic transfer operation by the point-of-sale device. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 in response to a determination that the authorization message indicates that the transaction is not authorized, causing the cash input device to return the amount of physical currency to the customer. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 3 , the authentication operation comprises:
 receiving another consumer identifier; 
 comparing the consumer identifier and the another consumer identifier, wherein the another consumer identifier; and 
 in response to a determination that the consumer identifier and the another consumer identifier match, indicating that the customer is authenticated. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein
 the another consumer identifier is received at a short-range wireless communication unit of the vending machine, 
 the short-range wireless communication unit and the point-of-sale device are communicatively coupled to one another, and 
 the another consumer identifier is received from
 a digital change card, or 
 a digital change application executed by a mobile device. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 3 , wherein
 the another consumer identifier is received from a digital change card, and 
 in response to receipt of the digital change token, the vending machine is configured to communicate, to a financial institution of a merchant operating the vending machine,
 the digital change token, 
 the change deposit amount, and 
 merchant account information. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving the digital change identifier at the digital change application; and 
 communicating the digital change identifier to the point-of-sale device. 
 
     
     
       11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising program instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system of a vending machine, perform a method comprising:
 determining a change deposit amount, wherein
 the change deposit amount is a result of a transaction, 
 the determining is performed by a digital change application executed by the one or more processors of the computing system of the vending machine, and 
 the digital change application is in communication with a point-of-sale device of the vending machine and is configured to facilitate initiation of an electronic transfer operation; 
 
 performing an authorization operation, wherein
 the authorization operation comprises
 sending a request for authorization from the digital change application to a digital change server, wherein
 the request for authorization comprises a digital change identifier that identifies a customer account, and 
 
 receiving an authorization message; 
 
 
 determining whether the authorization message indicates that the transaction is authorized, wherein
 the authorization message indicates that the transaction is authorized if the authorization message comprises a digital change token; and 
 
 in response to a determination that the authorization message indicates that the transaction is authorized,
 initiating an electronic transfer operation, wherein
 the vending machine is operated by a merchant that maintains funds in a merchant account at a financial institution, 
 the merchant account is identified by merchant account information, and the electronic transfer operation comprises
 facilitating performance of an electronic transfer of funds in an amount of the change deposit amount from the merchant account to the customer account by communicating the merchant account information and the digital change token to the financial institution. 
 
 
 
 
     
     
       12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , the method further comprising:
 receiving the digital change token at the point-of-sale device, wherein
 the point-of-sale device generates the determination that the authorization message indicates that the transaction is authorized; and 
 
 performing an authentication operation, wherein
 the digital change identifier is further configured to facilitate the authentication operation by virtue of the digital change identifier comprising a consumer identifier, and 
 the consumer identifier identifies a customer associated with the customer account. 
 
 
     
     
       13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , the method further comprising:
 receiving another consumer identifier; 
 comparing the consumer identifier and the another consumer identifier, wherein the another consumer identifier; and 
 in response to a determination that the consumer identifier and the another consumer identifier match, indicating that the customer is authenticated. 
 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein
 the another consumer identifier is received at a short-range wireless communication unit of the vending machine, 
 the short-range wireless communication unit and the point-of-sale device are communicatively coupled to one another, and 
 the another consumer identifier is received from
 a digital change card, or 
 a digital change application executed by a mobile device. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein
 the transaction comprises receiving an amount of physical currency at a cash input device of the vending machine, and 
 the digital change application is configured to facilitate initiation of the electronic transfer operation by the point-of-sale device. 
 
     
     
       16. A vending machine comprising:
 a computing system comprising
 one or more processors, and
 a computer-readable storage medium coupled to the one or more processors, comprising program instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processors, perform a method comprising
 determining a change deposit amount, wherein 
  the change deposit amount is a result of a transaction, 
  the determining is performed by a digital change application executed by the one or more processors, and 
  the digital change application is in communication with a point-of-sale device of the vending machine and is configured to facilitate initiation of an electronic transfer operation; 
 performing an authorization operation, wherein 
  the authorization operation comprises 
  sending a request for authorization from the digital change application to a digital change server, wherein 
  the request for authorization comprises a digital change identifier that identifies a customer account, and 
  receiving an authorization message; 
 
 
 
 determining whether the authorization message indicates that the transaction is authorized, wherein
 the authorization message indicates that the transaction is authorized if the authorization message comprises a digital change token; and 
 
 in response to a determination that the authorization message indicates that the transaction is authorized,
 initiating an electronic transfer operation, wherein
 the vending machine is operated by a merchant that maintains funds in a merchant account at a financial institution, 
 the merchant account is identified by merchant account information, and 
 the electronic transfer operation comprises
 facilitating performance of an electronic transfer of funds in an amount of the change deposit amount from the merchant account to the customer account by communicating the merchant account information and the digital change token to the financial institution. 
 
 
 
 
     
     
       17. The vending machine of  claim 16 , the method further comprising:
 receiving the digital change token at the point-of-sale device, wherein
 the point-of-sale device generates the determination that the authorization message indicates that the transaction is authorized; and 
 
 performing an authentication operation, wherein
 the digital change identifier is further configured to facilitate the authentication operation by virtue of the digital change identifier comprising a consumer identifier, and 
 the consumer identifier identifies a customer associated with the customer account. 
 
 
     
     
       18. The vending machine of  claim 17 , the method further comprising:
 receiving another consumer identifier; 
 comparing the consumer identifier and the another consumer identifier, wherein the another consumer identifier; and 
 in response to a determination that the consumer identifier and the another consumer identifier match, indicating that the customer is authenticated. 
 
     
     
       19. The vending machine of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a short-range wireless communication unit, wherein
 the computing system comprises the point-of-sale device, 
 the another consumer identifier is received at the short-range wireless communication unit, 
 the short-range wireless communication unit and the point-of-sale device are communicatively coupled to one another, and 
 the another consumer identifier is received from
 a digital change card, or 
 a digital change application executed by a mobile device. 
 
 
 
     
     
       20. The vending machine of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a cash input device, wherein
 the transaction comprises receiving an amount of physical currency at the cash input device, and 
 the digital change application is configured to facilitate initiation of the electronic transfer operation by the point-of-sale device.